vexilliumfandomcom-20200214-history
Merlinburgh
Merlinburgh (Official name: Greater Merlinburgh, knickname: The Republic) is the second largest (306: 3.3 million citizens) metropolitan area in Aethelnia, and with Merlinburgh Harbour, its principal port. A large part of the port is a fenced-in duty-free area. Merlinburgh is the commercial centre of Aethelnia. History During a considerable part of it's history, from medieval times onwards, Merlinburgh was a de facto independent free city. The town traded with the rest of Vexillium long before it became a part of (nowadays) Aethelnia. The wealth created by international trade made it possible for the citizens to keep at bay any feudal aspirations of local warlords in their direction. Merlinburgh's formidable defensive works and even it's own navy -to protect it's merchant fleet- were paid for by international trade, ensuring the town's independence. It is from this period in time, that the town's nickname The Republic comes. During years 301-305, Merlinburgh was an Aethelnian province, named Mouth of Merlin. Symbols The city's strategic and commercial importance for Aethelnia is reflected in it's flag and coat of arms, which show a town (Merlinburgh) on the waterfront (Futuronian Ocean), with a golden key: A symbol that Merlinburgh is the key to the Futuronian Ocean. Hence the Lilliani motto Clavis Maris Futuroni. On the arms, the river Aethel is represented by the blue lion on the upper gold field. The arms are supported by Sea Lions. The golden anchor refers to the port's importance for the Royal Aethelnian Navy which has a major presence in Merlinburgh. The city's open, and tolerant outlook to the rest of Vexillium -a consequence of a lot of exposure to international trade contacts and foreign cultures- is symbolized by the Mounist Crescent, the Cross of Cruis, and the Emithist Star on the arms. Geography Merlinburgh is situated on several islands in the river Aethel´s estuary, along the Futuronian Ocean coast. Sports Merlinburgh has it's own soccer team, called the Merlinburgh Sea Lions. They compete in the Aethelnian Soccer Cup. They are sponsored by the Futuronian&Meridian shipping company. Transportation Merlinburgh has a cantonwide system of light rail for passengers and cargo. It further has a network of fuel cell buses and Delacroix Automobiles hybrid taxis. Water taxis and a waterbus service connect the islands in the river Aethel's estuary. Merlinburgh is connected to the Translongerath Occidental Express highspeed railways. It has an international airport, Merlinburgh International Airport, with it's own underground, railway station. The Merlinburgh Express maglev provides a 2-stop service between the airport, the Merlinburgh Business District, and Merlinburgh Central railways station. Merlinburgh is a major hub of the highway system of Aethelnia by design. An orbital toll motorway, the Merlinburgh Crescent, surrounds most of Merlinburgh. It provides access to several national motorways. A congestion charge area for motorized vehicles exists for central Merlinburgh. Parking fees are steep. In the city centre, driving a car is discouraged for non-residents. Greater Merlinburgh is bicycle-friendly. Merlinburgh is obviously accessible by sea. It is the home port of Futuronian&Meridian, Aethelnia's biggest shipping company. The river Aethel is wide and deep and can be navigated by most commercial traffic. Barges can sail upstream as far as Saint Thomas and the Valleys, i.e. the industrial heart of the nation. Administration Merlinburgh is one of 23 autonomous cantons (i.e. states) of Aethelnia. It has it's own canton government and parliament. In Merlinburgh, the head of government is traditionally referred to as the Lord Chief Mayor. He has strong executive powers, and in daily government he is supported by a council of appointed Deputy Lord Mayors. Each Deputy Lord Mayor is responsible for a particular field of government. The Lord Chief Mayor is appointed and scrutinized by the unicameral Merlinburgh parliament. The Merlinburgh parliament currently exists of 67 members. They are proportionally-elected every 4 years by the Merlinburgh citizens. Merlinburgh is divided into 8 Boroughs, the Merlinburgh Port Authority District, and the Old Town of Merlinbury. They are the most important unit of local government in Merlinburgh. Each borough is headed by a Mayor, and a Borough Council. Like municipalities, the Merlinburgh Boroughs are responsible for running most local services in their areas, such as schools, social services, waste collection and roads. They also serve as postal code zone, voting district, police district and fire brigade zone. Some borough councils also group together for such services as waste transport and disposal, e.g. the East Merlinburgh Waste Authority. The Boroughs in Merlinburgh have a right to bear arms and may fly a banner of arms. 1. Old Town of Merlinbury 2. Merlinburgh Port Authority District 3. tba 4. tba 5. tba 6. tba 7. tba 8. tba 9. tba 10. tba The Old Town of Merlinbury is a geographically-small town within Greater Merlinburgh. The Old Town of Merlinbury is the historic core of Merlinburgh from which the modern conurbation grew. The town's boundaries have remained constant since the Middle Ages, and hence it is now only a tiny part of the larger Merlinburgh metropolis. Nowadays most of the Old Town is a Aethelnian National Heritage site, with strict property ownership laws. The Lord Mayor is the guardian of the Old Town. The Merlinburgh Port Authority provides state-of-the-art facilities and services for Merlinburgh-based companies. It is not a borough, but a district administered by the resident companies and interests. Under supervision of the Lord Mayor of Merlinburgh. Sightseeing * Old Town of Merlinbury * National Maritime museum of Aethelnia * Merlinburgh Boulevard * Merlingburgh Port Authority District Sister cities * add your port town here ;-) Category:Cities Category:Subnational_entities Category:Aethelnia